Rona appoints former Metro exec as new president and CEO

Boucherville, Quebec, Canada -- Canadian home-improvement chain Rona Inc. announced Tuesday it has named Robert Sawyer as president and CEO, effective next month.

Sawyer was previously an executive at grocery chain Metro Inc.

Rona’s acting CEO Dominique Boies will remain as company CFO.

The retailer, which rejected a takeover offer from Lowe’s Cos. last year, revamped its board in January after heavy-weight shareholders Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec and Invesco Canada Ltd., pushed out veteran CEO Robert Dutton amid dissatisfaction with five years of sliding profits.